Evidence before the Committee (Questions
335-339)
WEDNESDAY 10 SEPTEMBER 2003
335. CHAIRMAN: Good morning. As we agreed yesterday
the sitting time will be from 10 o' clock until 4 o'clock. It
is proposed that we break for lunch again at approximately 12.30
and reconvene at 1.30. Can I welcome everybody back. Sorry, Mr
Thompson, I felt you were just about to launch into your peroration
and finale when the timetable hit us, I apologise for that. If
you would now like to address the Committee.
336. MR THOMPSON: Yesterday I read a letter from
myself to Miss Payne at Scotland Yard, the reply was: "Thank
you for your letter dated 9 May. I understand that you have discussed
the subject of pedlars' certificates with Gloria Payne".
This is from Mr Ian Jenkins, Community Safety and Partnerships,
Room 1.13, Westminster and Territorial Policing Headquarters,
Victoria Embankment.
337. "As a result of your letter we will
be reviewing our policy in relation to the issue of pedlars' certificates.
You have raised some very poignant matters, which the Metropolitan
Police will look to address with the Immigration Service and Overseas
Visitors Centre.
338. "At this time a response to your question
on establishing whether an applicant for a pedlars' certificate
is an honest person certainly criminal record checks and checks
on our Criminal Intelligence database are conducted. This will
enable an assessment to be conducted on their suitability. There
is no formal requirement to interview any applicant as your contact
with the DTI suggests but it would be good practice to do so.
When the legislation was drawn up in 1871, seeking information
from non EU and EU countries was not envisaged, and certainly
today some non EU countries do not maintain satisfactory records
to make an informed decision on the suitability of any applicant.
This will be an area we will seek to review in our policy, but
without a change in legislation any legal challenges would override
any of our policy changes.
339. In relation to our second question, allocating
certificates to non EU residents in breach of their work restrictions,
our links with the Immigration Service on this matter do need
to revisited, as does the advice we send out to all boroughs in
London in relation to seeking additional information from non
EU residents. This will be done".
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